The shipment of fragile and/or high-value items remains an area where improvements are needed to the many ways to package, ship and store objects because once the container leaves the vendor numerous events could happen to damage the contents of such fragile and/or high-value items. For example, precision elongated tubing (e.g. hydraulic lines) may be shipped in 4-10 foot elongated boxes; however such boxes are easily damaged (e.g. susceptible to being bent or degradation from environmental factors if left outside during shipping) because containers of conventional material such as wood and/or cardboard with wrappings including inflated air wraps (commonly called bubble wrap) typically do not protect sufficiently and there is loss in the shipment of the goods. Accordingly, there is a need for a container the exterior is hardened so that it is it resist damage to the interior parts having a foam insert providing protection to elongated and delicate items that is of a lower cost to ship (i.e. lightweight), durable (e.g. so that it can be reused).
Moreover, the additional weight of wood increases the shipping cost. In another example, aircraft engines may be manufactured and shipped around the world by air freight. Typically, such aircraft engines have been loaded into wooden transport boxes. A wood crate can produce splinters during shipment and handling by equipment resulting foreign object's destruction (FOD) if a chunk of wood falls off. Foreign object damage may cause the product to be overhauled prior to use, recertification, structural damage, and other costs may be incurred because such splinters find their way into the engine during shipment unbeknownst to the customer receiving the goods.
For at least these reasons, various approaches have been made to strengthen structural elements of the container and provide resistance to environmental conditions. For example, one approach has been to use containers in a variety of steel shapes. However, steel or other suitable metals used for reinforcing the container structural elements are subject to corrosion and add considerable weight and cost to the shipment. At times, the shipments will remain outdoors or subject to environmental conditions which may allow the ship products to corrode, deteriorate or other undesirable damage. In addition, while other containers have been considered, these materials bring about other difficulties, such as delamination, less ductility, or higher cost.
There is a need for improved containers having a less weight, which allows for more containers per payload and reduces item shipment costs. For example, in the specific application of the transportation of high-value goods that vary in dimension and shape there is a need for an improved container to securely transport fragile and/or high-value items and maintain these from breakage due to impact of the container with other objects. There also is a need for container comprised of a composite structure including a first layer of polyuria deposited on a second layer of foam material that encompasses these objects to provide a resilient, durable, ability to withstand environmental factors of water, dust, grime as well as other industries concerns such as, for example, foreign object damage (FOD) from wood chips or other objects in conventional shipping containers that may make their way into the high life and value item like an aircraft engine. Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved container that addresses all of these factors.